Election / FOI shows process behind removal of peak ferry fares
THE SCOTTISH Government sought cost and feasibility assessments on removing peak fares from the Northern Isles ferry service as part of budget engagement with opposition parties, according to documents seen by Shetland News.
The documents also appear to show that connectivity minister Jim Fairlie discussed the feasibility of removing seasonal fares for islanders in summer 2025 with NorthLink boss Stuart Garrett.
It was warmly welcomed by all sides of the political spectrum, but it appeared that a number of parties were claiming credit for the change.
A press release issued at the time via SNP’s Shetland election candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad said the Holyrood hopeful had persuaded the Scottish Government to remove peak fares after a motion on behalf of the SNP Shetland branch was passed at the party’s conference on 13 October last year.
But Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart later said her party, the Scottish Liberal Democrats, had also “persuaded” the government to scrap peak fares as part of their budget negotiations.
The Greens then also said removing peak fares was part of their budget negotiations with the government.
The SNP does not have a majority of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, so as a minority government it relies on support from other parties to pass budgets.
This usually leads to negotiations on additions and changes to gain approval from opposition parties.
Through freedom of information, Shetland News requested from Transport Scotland correspondence relating to the removal of peak fares in an attempt to gain further insight into the process.
While heavily redacted, the correspondence appears to show that Fairlie discussed the feasibility of removing seasonal fares for islanders with the managing director of NorthLink – Stuart Garrett – back in summer 2025.
It said that Garrett said he was “able to deliver”, but Fairlie wanted advice on what it would mean for Transport Scotland.
Following a meeting with officials on 8 October to discuss the next Northern Isles ferry service contract (NIFS4), which is due to start in 2028, Fairlie asked for advice on the “likely cost” of removing seasonal fares.
On 13 October Fairlie appeared at the SNP conference to say he was delighted to second the motion, adding that it was subject to the budget process.
Fairlie also said at the conference that if the SNP secures the Shetland seat in May’s election then “that leads us to getting very, very close to that majority which then allows us to give all the people of Scotland the right to choose to be an independent country”.
Advice previously requested by Fairlie was delivered on 5 November, shortly after 9am, and although there are numerous redactions, it highlighted that removing seasonal islander fares had been the “focus of recent stakeholder asks, particularly from Shetland”.
In an email at 2.55pm on 5 November “following initial opposition engagement” on the 26/27 budget, the Scottish Government’s minister for public finance requested “proposals” from Transport Scotland on removing peak fares, with a deadline for return of 14 November.
An assessment template added: “As part of engagement with opposition parties on the fiscal programme (Scottish Budget 2026-27, Scottish Spending Review and Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline), ministers are requesting cost and feasibility assessments to be undertaken on specific proposals being explored in negotiations.”
The template said under a section called ‘Parliamentary/Media Coverage’ that “high fares levels were one of the key issues raised in the public NIFS4 consultation and has been raised regularly in parliament by Orkney and Shetland MSPs”.
It also noted that the “recently passed SNP conference motion to remove seasonal/peak fares for islanders generated local media coverage”. This was the only mention in the documents of the SNP motion.
The template also said the proposal would lead to a ten per cent drop in total fare revenue. It was said at the time of the announcement that it would cost the Scottish Government £1.8 million in its first year.
The assessment form was returned on 14 November, and noted by transport secretary Fiona Hyslop three days later.
On 13 January 2026 plans to remove of seasonal fares were announced in the draft Scottish budget.
On 11 February Fairlie was then asked if he was content with proceeding to the removal of seasonal fares on 24 March, which he agreed to on 12 February.
Two weeks later the final Scottish budget was passed by MSPs, with the Lib Dems voting for it.
In a recent social media post Goodlad said at the SNP conference “we raised our voices together as one Shetland community, demanded better and made our voices impossible to ignore”.
“The Scottish Government then scrapped peak ferry fares. There is so much more we can achieve, especially with a seat at the table.”
However a Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesperson said its parliamentarians have “consistently called for action on peak time seasonal ferry fares and the finance secretary confirmed the package of support for ferries in our budget agreement”.
“The reality is that the SNP candidate would vote for SNP budgets even if they gave the islands nothing at all, whereas we will only vote for budgets that deliver the things we want for our constituents,” they added.
Responding, Goodlad said: “It’s easy to vote against things instead of working with the Scottish Government, but that doesn’t deliver investment or improvements for our islands.
“Getting results means collaborating, being at the table, negotiating, and backing budgets that bring real benefits to Shetland.
“I’m delighted we’ve removed peak ferry fares for islanders. It is making a real difference during a cost-of-living crisis and putting money back into people’s pockets.”
She said last summer, ferries was one issue which kept coming up on the doorsteps – “so instead of pleepsin about it, I decided to act”.
“As an SNP member, I brought a ferries motion to conference, using the experiences of islanders to make the case impossible to ignore.
“Thank you to everyone who got in touch with us, your voices made the difference. Together, we made change happen. The motion passed and became party policy.
“The SNP then implemented that policy as the party of government. That’s how the system works. That is democracy in action.
“I welcome the subsequent support of the Lib Dems on the issue. Cross-party collaboration is how we deliver for Shetland and we need more of it.”
Transport Scotland said it was unable to say beyond what was included in the freedom of information release due to the pre-election period.
The full list of confirmed Shetland candidates for the election on 7 May, in alphabetical order, are as follows: Alex Armitage (Greens), Douglas Barnett (Conservatives), Vic Currie (Reform UK), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland), Peter Tait (independent).
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